Apple scolds Uber after discovering it continued to track users’ data
Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook, recently threatened to delete the ride-sharing app if the rule-breaking behavior wasn’t stopped immediately.
One of the most fascinating parts of a recent profile by The New York Times on Uber’s controversial chief executive, Travis Kalanick, was an anecdote that describes an encounter between Kalanick and Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook.
The meeting happened after Apple employees discovered that Uber was tracking iPhones—even after users deleted the app.
The practice enabled Uber to continue tracking phones that were wiped by users who intended to create new Uber accounts to essentially defraud the company. Not only did they add code to capture the phone’s digital footprint—a huge no-no for iOS developers—the company also put a geofence around Apple’s headquarters to prevent employees from discovering the added, illicit code.
The Times describes the encounter in its profile:
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